Rho Phi Lambda began as Rho Phi Alpha at North Carolina State in 1959, acting as an honor fraternity for the top academic students in the Department of Recreation and Parks Administration. By the 1980s, five other universities had established chapters in Rho Phi Alpha, though another fraternity was also serving as an academic honorary group for Recreation and Parks students nationwide - Sigma Lambda Sigma, which had been established at Florida State University. Professors from the two respective universities met to discuss merging the fraternities, an action which was carried out in 1985. The organization was renamed Rho Phi Lambda, and because NC State's chapter was the oldest of all chapters in the merged organization, they assumed the title of Alpha Chapter. Rho Phi Lambda does not have an individual national office - rather, since NC State's chapter is the Alpha chapter, they also act as the national office for the organization. The Alpha Chapter of Rho Phi Lambda remained active at NC State as of 2008.
From the description of North Carolina State University, Student and Other Organizations, Rho Phi Lambda, Alpha Chapter records, 1958-1981 [manuscript] (North Carolina State University). WorldCat record id: 502490434
